Content Overview 
- Summary
- You can travel safely during treatment if your doctor permits travel.
- Don't let emotions bottle up inside.
- How To Live With Chemotherapy
- Cancer Surgery 101
- Radiation 101
- Bone Marrow Transplants
- Other Cancer Treatments
- Keep track of your symptoms. If symptoms are more severe than expected, or if unexpected symptoms appear, call your doctor.
- Consider the practical aspects of being in treatment.
- Reduce your risk of infection while in treatment
- Consider adding non-Western treatments ("complementary" or "alternative" treatments) such as massage therapy to your treatment schedule.
- Emotions may run rampant during treatment. Use time tested techniques to help. Take one day at a time. It's not unusual to see life with a different sense of perspective.
- Share your emotions. Watch for depression. Consider seeking counseling. You may also want to consider getting a pet if you don't have one (yes, a pet).
- Think of family and friends as part of your support team. Ask for help when you need it. Your needs are first, but also consider theirs.
- Work issues: If you are an employee, ask for the accommodations which make it possible to juggle treatment and work. If you need time off, negotiate for it. People who are business owners or are self employed should avoid making important decisions if pos
- Start looking at your insurance and financial situation to determine how you will pay for medical care. Even with health insurance, medical care can be costly. Free or low cost care is available if you are Uninsured or Underinsured
- Do finance basics. Pay your rent or mortgage and mniimums on your credit card. Start keeping track of all medical services you receive and expenses you pay. Don't pay a medical bill just because you receive one.
- Financial assistance is available.
- Drugs and treatments do not work in a vacuum. Think of the food you eat, the exercise you get, rest/sleep and even proper care of your mouth as steps you can take to make treatments and drugs most effective.
- Modify your (hopefully)healthy diet to make up for nutrients your treatment uses up. Get dietary counseling.
- Speak with other people who are going through what you are.
- If you have a spouse or significant other, you will both face challenges from the treatment and side effects. There is no right or wrong way to handle the situation. Cooperative problem solving and mutual support is key.
- If you have underage children, tell them about what is going on in an age appropriate manner. Monitor their behavior. Arrange for their care in case something happens to you.
- Schedule a dental check up.
- When treatment ends, celebrate. Read Survivorship A to Z Post Treatment.
In Treatment For Cancer
Start looking at your insurance and financial situation to determine how you will pay for medical care. Even with health insurance, medical care can be costly. Free or low cost care is available if you are Uninsured or Underinsured
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- Do whatever is necessary to keep it. Health insurance is vitally important.
- Learn what your health insurance does and does not cover, whether you are restricted to a group of doctors or hospitals or have a broader choice, and what needs prior approval, if anything.
- Learn how to maximize use of your health insurance.
- Keep in mind: if you don't get what you want from your insurer, look for a source of influence that can help. If that doesn't work: appeal - and appeal again. Be persistent. If appeals don't work, think about pressure you can apply on the insurer - such as through the state Insurance Commission or through the press. (We tell you how to frame your story to get press attention in the document listed in "To Learn More.")
If you don't have health insurance, there are still ways to access health care.. It is also possible to still get health insurance.
Note that all medical bills are negotiable
Do enough financial planning to get you through treatment. When you are finished with treatment, and your head clears, you can focus on your finances. The objective will be to get you in the best shape you can to keep up your living standard in case something like this happens again. At the same time, you can plan for the money needed to meet your goals in life. We show you how to do financial planning that considers your health condition. It doesn't take a lot of time to do basic planning. If you're the type of personality that wants to keep busy to help distract you from the effects of your treatment, feel free to go ahead now. Just don't make any major decisions until you have to.
To Learn More
More Information
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